Sothstd-repkoducilirg machine



Y F. CIRELLI.

SOUND REPHODUCING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY H, 1918.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

I WWMW V f} a F. CIRELLI.

souwo REPBODUCING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1918.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

-2SHEETS-SHEET 2. Q

FRANCESCO CIRELLI, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA SOUND- REPRODUCING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

Application filed July 17, 1918. Serial No. 245,303.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCESCO CIRELLI, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sound-Reproduci Machines, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a sound reproducing machine which will give an accurate and natural reproduction of sound.

Another object is. to so construct my invention that it can be made without the usual sound amplifying horns or chambers and can be applied to any formof cabinet or supporting structure.

Another object is to produce a sound reproducing machine which will be of ex tremely simple construction and which can be quickly and cheaply manufactured and assembled.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which-- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved talking machine, a part of the cover and supporting structure being broken away,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation on a larger scale than shown in Fig. 1, certain of the features being illustrated in central vertical section,

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, t

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of certain of the elements of my invention,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a bearing member which forms the pivotal support for the tone arm, and I Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 7 represents a supporting structure illustrated in the form of a box or cabinet having a cover 8 hinged thereto at 9. The cover 8 is in theform of a hood which, when lowered on the hinge 9, forms a closure for the tone arm 10, sound box 11, "and turntable 12. The turntable is rotated by any suitable means and in the present instance I have illustrated diagrammatically in dotted lines a motor 13 which is mounted within the cabinet 7 and below the top board 14 of said cabinet.

To the rear of the turntable 12 is located a bearing member 15 in the present instance illustrated in the form of a circular plate 16 having a peripheral upwardly extending flange'17 and a hub 18. The hub 18 has portions 19 and 20 which respectively project above and below the plane of the plate 16, and a sleeve bushing 21, made of fiber, rubber, or other suitable material, is fitted within the hub 18, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The plate 16 is attached to the top board 14 by drilling or boring a hole 22 through the top board 14 and fitting the portion 20' therein, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The hub should preferably snugly fit the hole, 22 and if desired the plate 16 can be further secured to the top board 14 by means of screws 23.

The tone arm 10 has its sound transmitting open end 24 extending downwardly, as clearly shown in Figs. 1' and 2.

A pivot supporting rod 25 is positioned withinthe end 24 of the tone arm 10 and this pivot supporting rod extends transversely, or in other words, diametrically, across the end 24 of the tone arm. The rod 25 is preferably made of fiber, rubber, or other nonmetallic material and supports, at its oppo site ends, pivot screws 26. These pivot screws extend entirely through the end 24 of the tone arm 10, and rubber, fibrous, or other non-metallic washers 27 are preferably interposed between the heads 28 of the screws and the outer surface 29 of the tone arm, and rubber or other non-metallic washers 27 are interposed between the ends of the pivot supporting rod 25 and the inner surface of the end 24 of the tone arm, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

A collar 30 is secured to the pivot supporting rod 25 and this collar is preferably made of metal. A pivot post 31 extends through the collar 30 and pivot supporting rod 25,

and a stop bar 32 has a screw threaded end- 33 pivoted within holes formed in the pivot supporting rod 25, collar30, and pivot post 31, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. In other words, the stop bar 32 screws within the pivot supporting rod 25, collar 30, and pivot post 31 and servesto lock the pivot post to the pivot supporting rod 25 and collar 30.

The pivot supporting rod'25 and collar 30 are located entirely within the end 24 of the tone arm 10 and the stop bar 32 extends at -an incline downwardly 'below the plane of the bottom of theend portion 24 of the tone arm 10,

The lower end of the stop bar 32 is curved, as shown at 34, and also projects beyond the surface 29 of the end 24 of the tone arm.

The pivot post 31 is adapted to be fittedwithin the sleeve bushing 21 of the hub 18 so as to freely pivot or rotate therein. In other words, when the tone arm 10 is swung, such for example as when playing a record, the pivot post 31 will turn within the hub 18.

The upper end of the hub 18 forms a support for the collar 30 so as to space the open end 24: above the top of the flange 17 of the plate 16. In other words, there is a free space 35 provided between the extreme lower end 24. of the tone arm and the top of the flange 17 of the plate 16. I

It will thus be noted that the pivot post 31 and bearing rod 15 provide for any movement of the tone arm in substantially horizontal planes, and the pivot supporting rod 25 and pivot screws 26 permit movement of the tone arm 10 in vertical planes so that by the combination of these pivotal movements the tone arm can be moved in any necessary direction either for playing the record 36 or for moving the tone arm and sound box into an inoperative position clear of the turntable.

During the normal position of the tone arm, such for example as shown in Fig. 1, while playing a record the end 21 of the tone arm is entirely clear of the stop bar 32. However, when the tone arm is moved into a position, for example, off of the record and turntable, the forward'end of the tone arm requires to be held in a position so as to prevent the sound box or any part thereof from contacting with the top board 14.

It is obvious that if removed from the record 36 the forward end of the tone arm would swing downwardly.

The stop bar 32 serves to limit the downward movement of the forward end of the tone arm for the reason that the end 24: will engage the stop bar and since the'stop bar has no vertical movement it will serve to support the tone arm. In addition to serving as a support for the tone arm in an inoperative position, the extreme forward end of the stop bar can be used to actuate any form of stop mechanism (not illustrated) since it will be noted that the stop bar takes the movement of the pivot post 31 and pivot supporting rod 25 when the record 36 is being played.

In operation the turntable 12. and record 36 are rotated through the medium of the motor 13 and the sound passes through the tone arm 10 and out of the end 24 of the tone arm in a downward direction. The sound impacts with the plate 16 and passes outwardly and upwardly through the space 35. The sound thus reproduced is of a more accurate and natural character than sound which is reproduced on machines which have amplifying horns either on the interior of a cabinet or box or the like, or exterior of the supporting means. The plate 16 and top board 11 of my present invention cause the sound to rise in a manner which does not require persons to concentrate their attention or locate themselves in any particular position in order to secure the best possible effect that the machine is capable of producing. During the operation of my machine the sound produced can be equally well heard irrespective of the positions of the audience.

' The advantage of the construction of my machine is especially noticeable in orchestrations or instrumental selections since with my-improved machine the sound appears to come from all parts of the machine and there appears to be no center ascertainable by the listener.

While I have illustrated my machine on a cabinet with a cover, the cover can be eliminated and if desired no other support is necessary other than such a top board or other simple supporting construction the same as the board 11.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A sound reproducing machine having a supporting structure including a top board; a hub supported by said top board; a post rotatable within said hub; a pivot supporting rod; a tone arm having its outlet end positioned so as to transmit sound toward said top board; means pivotally connecting the tone arm to said pivot supporting rod so that the outlet end of said tone arm is spaced above said top board, and a stop bar secured to said pivot supporting rod and extending to a position below the normal position of the outlet end of the tone arm whereby when the tone arm is pivotally moved in a downward direction, said end thereof will be stopped by said bar, substantially as described.

In'testimony whereof I have signed my 

